Running head: IMPACT OF CAMPUS ENVIRONMENTS

Impact of Campus Environments on First Generation Students

Northern Illinois University

Olivia Genieveve Elliot

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Impact of Campus Environments on First-Generation Students

Campus environments extend much further than their physical appearance and how

students interact within buildings, offices, or with each other. First-generation college students

are among one of many groups of students that must navigate college and campus differently.

Some of the reasons for the differing experiences are due to obvious reasons like being the first

to attend a college or university, and others are less obvious, like how the student will interact

with people and structures around them. The following will provide clarification on campus

environments, define first-generation college students, discuss implications and limitations of

being a first-generation student, and the impact the campus environment has on first-generation

students at the collegiate level.

First-Generation Students

I remember my first time hearing the term first-generation. I was preparing to be an

Orientation Leader in the spring of 2017. As my training continued, I learned there was an

optional family session called First-In First-Gen where members of the Orientation Program

Intern team served as panelists to answer questions and discuss their experiences as a first-

generation student at Northern Illinois University. This session continued during my time with

Orientation and First Year Programs; however, I am disappointed to say I never had the chance

to see the presentation or hear the experiences of our first-generation leaders. I always had my

own sessions I was running or overseeing, but I believe the experience could have helped me

understand those students better and ultimately help me in my new role as an Academic Advisor.

A first-generation student, as defined by Chapman University, is a student who is the first

to attend a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree (First Generation, 2020).

Davis (2010) further explains the most commonly accepted definition is a student whose
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parent(s) or legal guardian(s) do not possess a four-year degree (as cited in Renn & Reason,

2014). One may see how being a student having family members who did not obtain their

bachelors could cause difficulty in navigating the college or university experience. A blog by

NASPA’s The Center concluded “the term “first-generation” implies the possibility that a

student may lack the critical capital necessary for college success because their parents did not

attend college” (The Center, 2017, para. 5). Note the term possibility. As groups of student

experience college and university life in different ways, so do individuals in the first-generation

grouping. Some students may have siblings who have already attended college and can help

guide them through their transition whereas others are on their own to navigate their new home.

Retention of First-Generation Students

Retention of students is one of the primary goals of all institutions; however, it is

important to note 100 percent retention is nearly impossible given students leave institutions for

a myriad of reasons. To retain a student means to have them enroll in the next semester or year.

However, several studies prove students who are first-generation are retained at lower rates than

students who are not first-generation. Soria and Stableton (2012) proved exactly that in their

study administered to over 28,000 students at a public university in the Midwest.

Engagement of First-Generation Students

A large aspect that goes hand in hand with retention of students is engagement.

Engagement can come in the form of joining clubs or organizations, participating in classroom

conversations, making friends, working on-campus, and much more. First-generation students,

like all students, have a lot to balance. However, especially in the first semester or year, the

adjustment to collegiate life at a four-year institution looks different. For example, as a first-year,

non-first-generation student who lived at home, commuted to campus, and was enrolled in 17
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credit hours, I was able to adjust to collegiate life rather easily. I quickly became involved on

campus and made friends with those who lived in the residence halls. On the other hand, I

currently teach a section of the first-year seminar course, UNIV 101 and several students are

having a difficult time adjusting. You could say COVID and the virtual environment could be

partially to blame, but I want to focus on one particular student I have interacted with. For the

purposes of confidentiality, I will refrain from using their real name and will refer to them as

Tommy.

Real-Life, First-Generation Student Transition

Tommy is a first-generation, Latino student. As the semester began, Tommy was

submitting all his assignments and receiving great grades. After week two though, I noticed the

student had stopped submitting assignments. I let it pass for a week, assuming maybe something

came up, but as the next week passed, I knew something was wrong. The following week, we

had a virtual class where we conducted a check-in on the students to see how they were doing.

Tommy stated he was struggling to get out of bed. Immediately, I became worried and reached

out following the class period. Tommy and I talked for a bit and he explained he felt unmotivated

to complete his course work. I asked some more questions to understand why he was feeling this

way. He said he missed his family, felt like he was not providing enough for them, and did not

want to disappoint them. Tommy explained he was a first-generation student who had been

incredibly close to his family prior to leaving for school.

The story of Tommy is one of many examples of experiences of first-generation college

students and explains potential reasons for the lack of engagement of other first-generation

students. The story of Tommy also brings attention to the fact of first-generation students having

a different transition to four-year life than other individuals. Inkelas, Daver, Vogt, and Leonard
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(2007) concluded first-generation students are more likely than their non-first-generation peers to

experience difficulty transitioning to college (as cited in Renn & Reason, 2014). Thus, due to

Tommy’s external influences, his engagement level in the classroom and out of the classroom is

impacted.

Aside from my anecdotes, ample amounts of research and studies prove the difference in

engagement levels of first-generation students. The study conducted by Soria and Stableton

(2012) determined first-generation students were less “academically engaged than non-first-

generation peers” (p. 680). Renn and Reason also stated first-generation students are not as likely

to be engaged in activities that support academic success or persistence (Pascarella, Pierson,

Woliak, & Terenzini, 2004; Terenzini, Springer, Yeager, Pascarella, & Nora, 1996). Though, not

as likely to be engaged, first-generation students should be strongly encouraged to try.

Campus Environments

Much more goes into a campus environment than I ever could have imagined. As Renn

and Reason (2014) explained, environments of higher education “are diverse, multiplying, and

changing in the twenty-first century” (p. 82). Four aspects make up the campus environment;

Strange and Banning (2001) stated these as physical, human aggregate, organizational, and

constructed environments (as cited in Renn & Reason, 2014). The following will briefly examine

and define each.

Physical Environments

The physical environment is made up of all elements that one can physically see and

touch. Often, the physical environment is the first thing a student experiences when they visit an

institution. As Strange and Banning (2015) explained, the physical environment often leaves a

lasting impression. A physical environment can also be referred to as a place. On NIU’s campus,
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one of the physical environment’s students experience when they visit campus is Altgeld Hall, a

place on campus. Besides having a lasting impression, physical environments can also be

symbolic. For example, Strange and Banning (2015) concluded a place can send symbolic

messages of different meaning. In Altgeld Hall, students will see the seal on the floor. The seal

represents that NIU was originally Northern Illinois State Normal School. Altgeld Hall is also

symbolic in the sense it was one of the first buildings on campus. Altgeld Hall is just one of the

many physical environment’s students can interact with on NIU’s campus.

Aggregate Environments

Aggregate environments have a large focus on connections. Often, I heard it is not about

what you know, it is about who you know. Aggregate environments about building relationships.

Chambliss and Takacs (2014) concluded from their study that relationships are key to a college

experience that is successful (as cited in Strange & Banning, 2015). As concluded by the Tommy

scenario, relationships are essential for all students, especially first-generation students.

Organizational Environments

Organization environments fall into the realm of student involvement. As such,

organizational environments are different than any of the other environments. Strange and

Banning (2015) explained organizational environments are created and reconstructed to seek

specific goals (Parsons, 1960, cited in Etzinoni, 1964, p. 3). Organizational environments do not

only need to be student organizations or clubs, but the category also includes offices and

departments on campuses. Organizational environments can serve as a great support for first-

generation students and assist in building leadership skills, creating connections, and increasing

academic performance.

Socially Constructed Environments

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Socially constructed environments focus highly on how an individual constructs the

environment to be. Meaning, as Strange and Banning (2015) put it, “environments are

understood best through the perception of the individuals within them” (p. 116). This notion

emphasizes students should be involved in the decision-making processes taking place on college

and university campuses, which I completely agree with. I believe if a new building is going to

be developed on campus that students should have the opportunity to present their ideas of the

needs of the building and the desires. Needs and wants can range from services, study spaces,

and layout for example. Overall, students experience environments differently than

administration.

Impact of Campus Environments

It was rather difficult to find research on success and engagement of first-generation

students in relation to campus environments. As suggested by what Tommy is experiencing,

first-generation students experience transitioning to college much differently than non-first-

generation students. Campus environments impact how students matriculate, transition, and how

they are retained at an institution. Some of the largest factors are engagement and success, both

of which can be driven by campus environments.

Engagement. Concluded previously, first-generation students engage with campus in different

ways than their peers. Engagement is not only about making friends and joining student clubs or

organizations, but also about interacting in the classroom, with the greater college or university

community, and the campus itself, just to name a few. Much of what I have mentioned puts the

responsibility on the student; however, it is arguably the institutions responsibility to provide

environments for students to engage.

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The example location I would like to use is the Holmes Student Center (HSC). Recently

renovated, the new layout of the ground floor provides a bright and spirited environment that

encourages engagement. Engagement with the physical environment is emphasized through

spaces like Qudoba, Huskie Grill, Starbucks, and the Student Government Association (SGA)

lounge spaces. On the other hand, due to the high amount of traffic driven to the area,

opportunities to interact with other students also increases. The organizational environments on

the ground floor include SGA, Dean of Students, and meeting spaces for student groups. Overall,

the success or failure of the space to engage a student is determined by each individual student.

Prior to the renovation the HSC, there were hardly any locations around campus that

drove several student populations to it. Everything was separated by college practically. Failure

to have productive spaces for students to engage with others, their coursework, the architecture,

or groups can push students to stay in their room, go home on the weekends, or leave the

institution for another opportunity.

For first-generation students, having spaces for the several forms of engagement can

increase the likelihood of a student having a smooth transition to college or university life.

Engagement can also introduce the student to support systems, whether it be students or services

on campus. The student can also find their place on campus. For example, maybe Tommy will

find his home in a cultural resource center, group, or building on campus.

Success. Success of students is also impacted by the environments they are presented or

engaged. I have often heard, the more a student is engaged or involved, the more successful they

tend to be. I believe this to be true and I am a real example of that. In high school, I was involved

in sports in the fall and spring and graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.334. In college, I was

involved in student organizations, held multiple jobs on campus, and engaged with faculty and
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staff to complete projects. I credit my 3.701 cumulative GPA and graduating Magna Cum Laude

to my involvement. However, it is important to note success does not only mean receiving good

grades. In fact, to some students getting good grades may not even be an indicator of success.

From my knowledge and previous encounters with first-generation students, I have

learned they typically do not come from the wealthiest of backgrounds. Success to a first-

generation student that is strapped for cash may be balancing a job and submitting their

homework on time. For another it may be living at home, helping to support their family, and

just attending school. It all depends on the student. Campus environments need to support the

student so they can reach whatever their definition of success is.

Faculty and stuff that inhibit the campus environments should get to know students, how

they define success, and how they can support the student to achieve their goals. Campus

environments should offer support services for students and ensure services are offered during

times in which students need them and are available. Services should also be easily accessible.

Organizational and aggregate environments should be conscientious of the time each student has.

Cutting into the time a student has to work on class assignments can impact their ability to

achieve success.

To conclude, first-generation students have a substantial number of hurdles they must

jump throughout their collegiate career, particularly in their first years at the college or

university. As represented by Tommy, it is not easy to be a first-generation college student

leaving their family for the first time. First-generation students may experience guilt of leaving

their family, lack of support from family or peers, decreased motivation at earlier stages than

non-first-generation peers, among with much more. The above content proves just how crucial it
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is for first-generation students to become engaged in their campus environments and emphasizes

the importance of campus administration providing those spaces.

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References

Soria, K. M., & Stebleton, M. J., (2012). First-generation students'

academic engagement and retention, Teaching in Higher Education, 17:6, 673-685, DOI:

10.1080/13562517.2012.666735

First-Generation. 2020. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from

https://www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/first-generation/index.aspx

Renn, K., & Reason, R., (2014). College Students in the United States: Characteristics,

Experiences and Outcomes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Strange, CC. & Banning, J. H. (2015). Designing for Learning, Creating Campus Environments

for Student Success.

The Center. (2017). Defining First-generation. Center for First-Generation Student Success.

Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://firstgen.naspa.org/blog/defining-first-generation